Life,Marriage and Bars
by US-addict
Summary: Pre-miniseries, A what could have happened...
1. Chapter 1

Authors note: this was written a while ago and hasn't been beta'd so any mistakes are my own and I apologise for them. This is a one shot but if anyones interested I could carry it on. Feedback would be great.

Life,marriage and bars

Lee stood behind the bar wiping down

Lee stood behind the bar wiping down. It had been another long but rather rewarding day in his eyes. He had opened the bar a little under a year ago and business had been booming ever since. He had finally achieved his life long dream, finally left the fleet and gotten out into the real world.

Although the transition had hardly been smooth and the result was him standing here brooding about it yet again. Tomorrow was the day that his little brother was to get married, but far from being happy about this Lee was feeling regret and loss.

The decision for him to leave the fleet had been made final for the need to run from what was happening in the rest of his life. In the fleet he had always been an Adama, out here in the real world he was just Lee. This was only part of the real reason but it was the public reason for why he had left. The real reason was slightly more sordid than that and very few people knew it. It was the real reason he no longer spoke to his family and the real reason they had no clue where he now lived.

His decision to leave the fleet had not gone down well with his father, who had attempted to talk him out of it. The Old man was military through and through and could not understand why his hot shot pilot son would want to give all that up. The last time they had attempted to talk a bitter argument had broken out between them and Lee had walked out and vowed never to speak to him again.

He had finished wiping down and began to walk round and turn off all the lights still lost in his memories, working on autopilot. With him vowing never to speak to his father again he had gone to visit his mother. It seemed however, that for the first time in ten years, his parents agreed on something. The fact that he should stay in the fleet. With the second row in two days ending much as the first had with him walking away from his a parent.

He took one more look around his bar before walking out and locking the door behind him. He walked to his bike, an impulse buy that he had grown rather attached to since he'd brought it. He climbed on and revved the engine and turns his bike towards home, once again getting lost in the painful memories that held him from going to his younger siblings nuptials tomorrow.

Zak had just finished his first tour of duty, when Lee had made his decision to leave the fleet. He had come to visit him in the apartment that Lee would soon be leaving. It seemed that Zak felt the need to try and talk to Lee about his reasons for leaving. He had fed Zak the line about not being able to be himself in the fleet, but Zak hadn't brought it. He called bullshit on him and demanded the real reason he was giving up a job he was good at. Lee could have told him the real reason but it wasn't something he was going to do. How do you tell your younger sibling that in fact the reason you're leaving is because you're in love with his fiancé? So Lee did the only thing he could do he lashed out at Zak telling him that he wasn't a good pilot and that maybe he should be the one looking for a new career. And with that his final family member walked away from him.

He reached home and pulled into the driveway. His house was a small modest house that had a comfortable amount of land with it. Lee had loved it the moment he had walked into it, it had felt like home and now it was his. The bar had been an instant success and now afforded Lee a very comfortable living. Leaving him wanting for little possession wise but the rest of his life seemed to have gone horribly wrong.

Once inside he made his way towards the kitchen, stopping to remove a beer from the fridge before wondering through and out onto the veranda at the back of the house. He settled himself on a chair there and looked up at the stars and remembers the final visitor he had received before he left his old life.

FLASHBACK

He was continuing to pack up his apartment. He had brought small premises with a small apartment he could live in until the bar started providing a decent living. He was half way through boxing up his book shelf when there was a knock at the door. He opened the door to find the last person he had been expecting to visit. Kara Thrace.

"Hey, Apollo!" She walked through the door without asking and collapsed onto the couch. "Long time, no see." All said with a matching Starbuck grin he had adored for years. It went straight to his groin. He had known Kara since they had been roommates in flight school. They had been put together to see if Lee's good behaviour could straighten out Kara's poor record of ending up in hack. It hadn't worked out quite the way the instructors had hoped. Starbuck had ended up in hack less but when she did she always had a cell mate in the form of Lee Adama who she had convinced to go along with whatever hair brain idea or drunken escapade she had conceived. Needless to say the two had become rather good friends, spending long nights in cells bonding. Then Lee had left for War College and Kara had stayed on to teach at the academy. They still kept in touch but didn't see each other as much. Then Kara had met Zak and their relationship had started. Leaving Lee with rather confused feelings. Of course he was happy for them, even if he was little shocked that they had taken up despite all the regulations. There again Kara had never bothered with them before. But he was also had feelings of jealousy, and because of these feelings of guilt. He hadn't realised quite what his feelings for Kara where until she had entered a relationship with the one person in all the colonies who Lee couldn't take her away from, his brother.

And now here she was slouching on his couch, grinning her Starbuck grin at him. "Nice to see you too Kara. Please come in and make yourself comfortable." He replied sarcastically before closing the door he was still holding. "So what the frak is all this crap with you not talking to your parents and Zak?" Straight to the point as ever Kara. He sighed mentally "Nothing, its just they can't seem to respect my decisions in life. And if you've come to try and talk me out of leaving, you can walk straight back out that door." He said starting to feel angry that she had come. "Easy there flyboy!" she held up her hands in surrender "I just came to see if you were ok. I know you were never gonna stay in the fleet forever, you always wanted your own bar." She paused and her voice dropped a little "I just thought it would take you longer than this." She sighed and settled even further into his couch.

He walked over and sat next to her. "You do realise that I'm gonna still see you right?" He looked at her, "Despite everything else Kara you and I've shared some crazy things, mostly your fault…" She chuckled at these words and he continued "And despite the amount of time I spent in hack because of you, I don't think I could have a life without you in it." She looked straight into his eyes and he sees something he couldn't quite make out in them. "I feel the same Lee." She stopped and continued to look into his eyes, then she shifted and the moment passed. "So does this mean I get to drink in your new joint for free?" She asked the grin back on her face.

END FLASHBACK

So he had left his old life. Walked away from being an Adama and from having to watch the woman he loved with his brother and moved to a new life. He finally felt at home and almost at peace with himself. Almost. Kara did indeed still come to visit. She had turned up at the opening of the bar and had drunk a small fortune, which he more than happily absorbed, grateful that she hadn't shunned him like his family. She had been back a couple of times since and they had regular phone conversation, where he filled her in on what was happening at the bar and she kept him up-to- date with the family gossip. He still missed her though, even though she was so close she was always just too far away from him.

He was startled out of his memories by a soft voice "Hey." He turned to look for the source and found the woman herself standing there. "Hey yourself. Figured you'd be too drunk to make it out here. It is after all your last night of freedom." He said all this with a small smirk on his face. "Well I thought about it but Helo couldn't keep up, thought I'd better come see my other best friend instead." She disappeared into the house for a few minutes and returned with two fresh beers. "Nice to know I'm second choice."

"Never, just you're always busy with that bar of yours. Had to keep myself amused somehow till you were done." They both smiled at this and sat staring at the stars for a few minutes, just enjoying the comfortable silence.

"So are you already for your big day tomorrow?" He asked, even if he did feel other things he was happy that Kara had found someone to love her, even if it wasn't him. "As I'll ever be. Who'd have thought I'd be the first one to get married out of the two of us? Figured you'd beat me down the aisle at least ten years in advance if I ever made it at all."

"Well I didn't, and here you are the blushing bride spending your last night of freedom with the black sheep of the family you're marrying into." He let out a small chuckle "You never did do things the normal way did you?" She smiled at this "And you love me for it. But seriously there is nowhere I would rather be. You are my best friend Lee, have been for a long time now. I just wish you could be there tomorrow."

"Yep well we both know I can't. As much as I would love to come and laugh my arse off at you in a dress trying to walk in heels…" This statement gains him a punch to the shoulder and he chuckles rubbing the affected area, before turning serious again "… We both know you don't want your day being ruined by family arguments. I couldn't do that to you." He turns his head back to the stars and sighs. "I'm sorry, Kara" he says so softly she almost misses it. "What for?"

"For missing your wedding day, for not being the friend and brother I should be, just for the last year really. You shouldn't have to be caught in the middle of this." He sighs again and turns to look at her face. "Don't apologise for that Lee, I don't feel in the middle, I love Zak, and your parents, but you were my friend first. And like I said to you I couldn't not have you in my life, I'd miss you too much. Besides without you I wouldn't have somewhere to drink for free when money's tight." She gins back at me.

The first rays of the sun had started to appear in the sky and they both sat back again watching the sun begin to rise. "I am going to miss you being at the wedding though, you and Helo would look so good in matching dresses."

"Shut up Kara, besides I don't think I've got the legs for it." They both burst out laughing and Lee thanked the Gods that he lived far enough from his neighbours as to not wake them. When they stopped Kara rose from her chair "I need to go, some of us need sleep before turning into a giant meringue." She pulled a face at this, he had heard of his mother's meddlings in the wedding plans constantly since they had announced the date. He got up from his chair and walked towards here, bent slightly and kissed her softly. He felt her stiffen before pulling away and tucking a small piece of hair back behind her ear and bringing his had to rest on her cheek. "Go be happy Kara, go enjoy your day." He whispered before turning and collecting the bottles scattered around. When he turned she had gone and he walked towards the house feeling like his world was balancing on the edge of cliff and it was about to disappear over the side.

BSGBSGBSG

He woke up when the alarm went off. He got up and began his day with a black cloud over his heard. Today was the day he lost Kara forever. He rode to the bar and walked in to find Liz already behind the bar. Liz had been his first employee and they had become fast friends as the bar took off. She had been there through it all with him and had proved to be a great choice for a bar maid and friend. She was also one of the few people he had told the real reason he had left his life behind and what Kara really meant to him, after she had stumbled in on him drinking his misery away after he received the wedding invitation. She had meet Kara at the opening, and a few times since and could see why Lee loved the woman. She and Kara had in fact become friends one night while Lee was busy serving customers.

"Hey." He said walking behind the bar to join her. "Hey yourself. How are you doing this morning?" She had known that today was the wedding, had made a mental note of the date and knew he was not going to be in a good mood that day. "Not too bad." He sighed knowing he couldn't lie to Liz if he tried "Kara came to visit last night." She looked up sharply at him "And how did that go?"

"Fine I kissed her and told her to go and be happy." She absorbed the information before asking the question "You kissed her? On the Night before her wedding, you decide then would be the best time for your first kiss?" She was a little confused and slightly pissed he had decided to act then. "Yeah, and she always said she was the screw up between the two of us." He chuckled sadly before turning his back and going upstairs to the office, leaving Liz to open the bar.

He sat in his office doing paperwork for a couple of hours wallowing in his feelings before guilt over leaving Liz alone had driven him downstairs to help. He kept looking at the clock, watching the minutes tick by until 3 o'clock rolled around they were getting married now he thought to himself. Luckily the bar had just begun to get busy as people had started to arrive for pre-game drinks before the pyramid match started that day. At 5 o'clock with the match in full swing and Lee busy serving he didn't notice the door opening or the silence that fell over his bar until Liz had tugged his sleeve. There just inside the door to his bar stood Kara Thrace, complete with wedding dress and heels, looking for all the world like a lost little girl.

He walked out from behind the bar towards her. As her eyes met his he could see the tears that were waiting to fall. He had seen that look on her face before and every time it cut him straight to his core.

He walked straight up to her and pulled her into a hug. She held onto him for dear life and whispered in his ear "I didn't mean to hurt him but I couldn't do it." She started to shake and held onto him even tighter burying her face in his shoulder, and he in turn held her tightly. Part of him felt pure sadness and sympathy for Zak, even if he hadn't spoken to him in a year they were still brothers, but also complete relief that he had not lost Kara. He let go of her slightly when she had calmed down, scooped her up and carried her behind the bar and up the stairs to his office away from the preying eyes of his customers. He knew Liz would be able to manage without him. He set Kara down on the small sofa in the office walked over to his desk to pull out a bottle of ambrosia he kept there along with two glasses. He poured them both a large drink before returning to the sofa and handing her a glass. She down it in one and mumbled a "Thanks".

"So do you wanna tell what happened between last night and the wedding that made you wander into my bar?" He asked unable to restrain his curiosity any longer. "I was standing in that room waiting to walk towards Zak and the only thing I could think of was that it all felt wrong. I love Zak but standing there I realised I couldn't do it, I just couldn't marry him and ruin his life like that." Tears had begun to roll down her cheeks again. He reached out to brush the tears away from her face "Why would you have ruined his life?" He asked quietly trying to figure out what was going on inside the head of Kara Thrace.

She looked up at him, meeting his eyes before saying quietly "Because I feel in love with another man." She then dropped her head and begun to weep again. Lee froze as he heard the words leave her mouth. He wasn't quite sure what to say. There were two sides at war within him, one felt heartbreak for Kara and Zak what they had, had to go through. The other was so blissfully happy that he really hadn't lost Kara.

"Oh Kara." was his only response. He sat down next to her and pulled her into his arm. "You know I just want you to be happy. If that means not marrying Zak and being with someone else I'll support you fully. Just be happy Kara." He said all this quietly to her and she clung onto him tighter.

They sat like that holding each other. Letting their thoughts run through their heads and speaking only occasionally. It wasn't until Liz walked into the office and told them she was going home did Lee realise how long they had been sitting there. Kara had fallen asleep a little while ago exhausted from her day.

Lee gently removed himself and walked downstairs with Liz. He thanked her for looking after the place and let her out before shutting and locking the door. He looked around the place and realised not only had Liz looked after the bar all evening she had tidied up as well. There was only a few glasses left waiting to be washed and they would wait until the next day.

He removed the money from the till to lock in the safe to be counted at another time. He returned upstairs and checked on Kara before returning downstairs to tidy up and keep himself busy while he worked through things in his mind.

He had been working for about half an hour before there was a banging on the door. He looked at the clock and saw it was nearly one o'clock He made sure that the door to the office was firmly shut and walked towards the door. He cautiously opened it to see his father on the other side of the door. Lee stepped back and opened the door fully and stepped back.

"Hello Dad. Long time no see." He walked back behind the bar. Despite everything his father was still a large presence but here behind his bar he was the boss. It was the boost of confidence he needed to speak to his father.

"Hello Lee." His father stood there just inside the door looking around the bar. He had never been here due to their estrangement and if he was honest with himself Lee had liked it that way. This was his domain. The thing he had built himself and was proud of.

After a few minutes if uncomfortable silence Lee finally spoke conscience of Kara asleep upstairs. He wasn't sure if she would want to see his father but felt it should be on her own time not his or his fathers. "What do you want dad?" He decided perhaps playing it dumb would be the best idea.

"I was wondering if you'd heard from Kara today?" Lee knew it was the reason his father was there but he was still a little shocked. Lee decided that avoiding an actual answer would definitely the way to go.

"I saw her early this morning. Then she left to get ready for the wedding I assumed she would be there." It wasn't quite a lie but it was close enough to the truth to be believable. Or at least that's what Lee told himself.

"She was at the wedding but she called it off at the last minute. Your brother is a little shocked as you would imagine. Actually he's completely devastated and more than a little confused. And Kara seems to have disappeared off the face of the planet." His father finished looking more than a little pissed off. This left Lee feeling more than a little annoyed himself. Kara was a grown woman and made her own choices. Even if they didn't make daddies golden boy happy. But as far as his father knew Lee hadn't heard any of this, so he took a deep breathe and calmed done before replying.

"Really? Well I haven't seen Kara recently. Is Zak going to be Ok?" Lee felt that drawing attention away from Kara would be easier than keep lying to his father.

"He will be as soon as he gets some answers. If you do hear from Kara will you let her know that we're looking for her?" With that William Adama turned and left. That was it no asking about Lee or how he'd been over the past year. He was just a means to an end.

Lee walked towards the door and locked it up again before turning to head back up to the office but as he reached the door to the stairs it opened and behind it stood the angel that was Kara Thrace in her wedding dress.

Before Lee could say anything Kara spoke "Thank you Lee." She walked up and kissed his cheek. Lee was a little shocked but accepted her thanks and walks to get some glasses. "Your welcome. You shouldn't have to face him on his terms it should be your choice. Drink?" He asked her.

"Just a soda thanks. I don't think alcohol would be a good choice right now." He prepared their drinks before leading her to one of the booths in the back of the bar. Once they had sat down he asked her the question he had been waiting to ask "Why did you wait so long Kara? Why wait until the wedding to call it all off?" He asked in a quiet voice. He wasn't angry just curious as to why she had left it so late. And why it was all so sudden.

"It didn't become obvious to me that I did love someone else till I left your house this morning. I got into my car drove home and lay there thinking about what you had said, about me being happy. I'd been thinking about it all day and it wasn't until I stopped in that little room by myself that I realised just what I could be giving up if I went through with the wedding." She paused to take a breath to steady herself "I do love Zak but I knew I couldn't marry him and miss out on the chance of being truly happy…" There was another pause she looked around took a deep breathe an almost whispered "with you."

Lee sat frozen next to her not quite believing what he had heard. "I'm sorry could you repeat that for me?" He had to ask to make sure he hadn't miss heard her.

"I said I won't want to miss being truly happy with you Lee. You're the one who knows me best, the one who was willing to let me go and the one who I ran to when I frak up. I truly thought I loved Zak but you telling me to be happy and the kiss made me realise that you were the one who I wanted to stay with tonight not Zak."

Lee found that he hadn't heard her incorrectly. She had just said that she wanted to be with him not Zak. He did the only thing he could think of he kissed her. It took Kara a moment to respond but once she did it was like everything they did full on and passionate. Their tongues duelled for battle and it was only the need for oxygen that made them break apart.

He pulled back, hand still in her hair, and looked her in the eye. "Kara I love you." She looked back at him her eyes shinning with tears "I love you too Lee. I can't believe it's taken me this long to realise it."

They sat there looking at each other, talking and kissing their way the next few hours. One of the main topics of discussion was what they were going to do about the rest of Lee's family. "I'm not going to hide this Lee. I'm not afraid of this anymore and to be honest you haven't talked to them in a year so what's a few more?" As much as Lee wanted to disagree with her, he couldn't.

"Kara I know all that but still… what about Zak? You ran out on him today and tomorrow we're going to turn round and tell him that you love another man? Not only that but the other man is his brother? Come on Kara even you're not that insensitive and you know it." He leaned in after this and kissed her, "You are lovely… and kind… and beautiful. Let's do this properly ok." He kissed her after every compliment.

She looked him directly in the eyes searching for something, finally she answered "OK but I think it maybe time to go home now." She said looking out the window and seeing the first rays of sunlight starting to appear. "We'll decide what to do after we're had some sleep. Take me home fly boy." She said getting up pulling Lee with her.

"You have picked up that I don't fly anymore right?"

"Yeah but you'll always be my fly boy. Now get your keys to that lovely bike."

Once they had arrived back at Lees' Kara finally took off her wedding dress and climbed into one of his t-shirts. If it were possible Lee thought she looked better in the t-shirt than the dress. And from now on she was his, well as much as anyone could have Kara. They climbed into bed and Lee turned and pulled Kara to him "I love you Kara Thrace" he said before kissing her head and following her into the land of dreams.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: here is the second chapter that some of you asked for. Thank you to those who reviewed!! I've got a couple more chapters in me I think before I give up but as always feedback would be fantastic so I know if i'm heading in the right direction.

Life, marriage and bars 2

Lee woke up the next morning to find a warm body pressed against his and their legs entangled

Lee woke up the next morning to find a warm body pressed against his and their legs entangled. It took him a second to remember what had happened and who was in his bed and when he remembered a smile broke across his face. He propped himself up on his elbow and looked at Kara, the woman he'd loved for so many years was finally in his life for good.

He kissed the back of her neck before getting up and heading for the bathroom. Once he was finished he came out and looked at Kara once more before leaving her to sleep. On his way to the Kitchen he stopped and looked at the clock in the hall. It was 12:30 he realised he should have been at the bar hours ago.

He picked up the phone and called the bar, Liz picked up. "Good morning Starbucks bar?" she answered. He had been in a slightly nostalgic mood when he'd named the bar. Kara didn't actually know what the bar was called it was always just his bar to her.

"Morning Liz, I'm sorry I wasn't there this morning I over slept. I'll be there in a couple of hours. Was there any problems with the deliveries this morning?" he said all this hoping that Liz wouldn't ask why he'd overslept.

"Everything's fine here Lee, it's a quite day don't worry. How's Kara this morning?" he could hear the playful hint in her voice. He was hoping he wasn't going to ask a little plausible deniability on her part. "She still asleep actually, so I won't know but she was perfectly fine when she fell asleep last night…" he said hinting to more than had really happened.

"OK that's enough there are something's an employee should never know…" at that point he stopped listening because someone had started kissing the back of his neck he turned around and faced her.

"Good morning" he said kissing her at that point Kara took the phone from him. "Liz? It's Kara." There was a pause where Liz said something by this point however he had moved his kisses to her neck and was slowly kissing his way down to her collar bone. "Yeah, no it's ok I'm fine now, yeah we'll be in later." Another pause and she was starting to get distracted. " No you know Lee he'll have to come in and check in but right now he has other things on his mind… yep that's about it. Yeah see you later." She pushed the button and dropped the phone to the floor before pulling Lee's face up which by that point had made it as far done as the t-shirt she was wearing would allow and kissed him soundly.

They started to move done the hallway back towards the bedroom just before they crossed the threshold there was a knock at the front door. Kara pulled away quickly "Ignore it" she said before kissing him again. So he did sadly the person at the front door had other ideas.

With a growl of frustration Lee broke away. "This'll be quicker if I just answer the door and get rid of them, there obviously aren't leaving by themselves. Stay here and stay out of sight just in case ok?" She studied him for a second before nodding and kissing him.

He opened the door to find Helo standing on his doorstep carrying a large bag. "Morning Apollo, I thought Kara might need some clothes considering she ran off in her wedding dress yesterday." He slipped in the front before Lee could say anything.

"Hey Helo, but what makes you think Kara's here?" Helo turned around from looking at the house before answering "I may not be the sharpest crayon in the box but I do have eyes. Besides Kara told me she was coming here yesterday." Well that explained it. Kara had met Helo while training nuggets at the academy. They had hit it off immediately and had become fast friends. At the academy they had a reputation for being card sharks and could generally always be found together in a bar somewhere, but despite the rumours going around they were friends and nothing more. Siblings more than anything else. Besides Helo didn't have the energy to keep up with Kara, he kept her grounded though and made sure she stayed out of too much trouble.

He and Lee had met a few months ago when Kara had brought Helo to the bar and although they had been wary of each other at first, Helo and Lee had eventually formed a tentative friendship then had found common ground through Kara.

"Hey Helo, did you bring me the things I asked for?" She said walking up to him, still dressed in only Lee's t-shirt. "You know I did 'buck." He said grinning at her before the expression on his faced soften "How are you doing Kara?" She looked at him seeing the expression on his face. "I was a little confused to start with but I found what I was looking for." She said looking at Lee and smiling.

Helo followed her gaze and smiled again. "I'm glad you finally got your head out you arse and saw what was in front of you. Even if you did cut it a little fine yesterday." This earned him a playful punch on the arm "Like you know, mister one woman a night. Now its time for you to leave Helo, Lee and I need to … talk."

"Oh is that what there calling it these days." Came the reply.

"Goodbye Helo." She said leading him to the door, "Hey come to the bar later you can tell me all the fun I missed yesterday." She waved at him once and shut the door. Before turning back Lee and walking towards him "Now where were we?" she asked seductively.

BSGBSGBSG

Sometime later they were lying in bed, curled up together. Lee was drawing patterns on her skin with his fingers. "You were right earlier you know, we do have to talk." She sighed and lifted her head to look at him. "I know but where do we start?"

He looked into her eyes. "Lets start with the obvious, nothing about this is going to be easy. Me and the rest of the Adama clan don't exactly get on and I don't think they're going to be your biggest fans after yesterday. But I do love you Kara; I need you to know that." She looked at him and nodded.

"I know and I love you too Lee Adama even if the rest of your family is too blind to see how amazing you are." She leaned in and kissed him. "And as much as I don't want to I think I need to talk to Zak and explain he deserves that much, but perhaps leaving out the part about me sleeping in your bed on my wedding night might be a good idea?"

"I think you may actually be having a sensible thought for once" he said teasing her. He chuckled as she made to pinch him "But I do agree" he said becoming serious again "I don't want to hurt Zak more than we need to, maybe we can tell him eventually but the same week as his almost wedding to you… I couldn't do that to my brother."

"You are a good man Lee Adama and don't ever let anyone tell you otherwise. But I think perhaps we should just avoid your parents altogether. Zak may understand but your father may just have us thrown in a cell somewhere." Lee nodded at that statement.

"So it's decided we tell Zak and leave everyone else out of this at least for now?" She nodded in confirmation. "Good now I have to go to the bar and check Liz is ok." He climbed out of bed and started looking for clothes. She got up and walked to the living room to collect the bag Helo had brought.

He came out of his bedroom to find her standing in the hallway dressed and ready to go holding the keys to his bike in her hand "Ready to leave flyboy?" He looked at her and nodded "You don't have to come Kara, you can stay here." He said quietly looking at her. "I know but I want to go besides I think I owe you some money for all the times I've drank at the bar, time to learn how to work a bar. Besides once I've mastered that I maybe able to sweet talk you into a drink or two later?" He smiled and walked towards her and kissed her. "Well I just happen to know the boss and he would be more than happy to let you drink without working."

"Really, well that's very nice of him" she said as she put her arms around his neck "But I need to do something to take my mind off things awhile." He looked down at her.

"Ok, let's go then." He smiled and held her hand as they walked to the front of the house.

"Hey can I drive the bike?" asked Kara grinning at him.

"I don't think so Kara, I don't want to spend the day in a cell for speeding." He said grinning back "Very funny flyboy"

BSGBSGBSG

It turns out that Kara wasn't a bad barmaid and with a little help from Liz she was having a whale of time behind the bar. Lee sat on a stool and watched her as she served customers and chatted to them, moving with ease and grace behind the bar. Liz had come to stand in front of him. "You look happier than I've ever seen you, boss. I'm glad you've got what you wanted and apparently not only can she drink but she can serve them as well." She smiled at him and he returned it.

"Well thank you for that little psycho analysis and for the record I am happy." At that moment the stool next to him was taken up with a familiar shape. "Made it out of bed then Apollo?" Helo sat grinning at him.

"Apollo?" Liz queried looking at Lee.

"That was my call sign when I flew vipers'. Helo here is a little slow and hasn't caught up with the times; you'll have to excuse him."

"Very funny, but you'll always be Apollo to me. I'm Karl Agathon but everyone calls me Helo and who might you be?" She said smiling at Liz and offering her his hand.

"Nice to meet you Helo, I'm Liz" she didn't get any further than that before Lee cut her off "No seducing the bar staff Helo but Liz here will get you a drink if you ask like a human being or maybe our new bar maid could?" he called as Kara finished with her last customer.

"Well, well never thought I'd see you behind a bar 'buck, hard up are you?" Kara had walked down the bar by this point and punched Helo on the shoulder "Oww easy Starbuck that's my stick arm."

"Well you'll have to survive without self gratification for a while wouldn't you." She then walked around the bar and stood between Lees legs and gave him a kiss.

"Wait, you're Starbuck?" Said Liz suddenly from where she stood observing the conversation.

"Yeah why?" said Kara looking a little confused. Liz had turned to look at Lee before speaking again "You named the bar after her?"

"What?" came the chorus from Kara and Helo.

"The name of the bar is Starbucks; I always wondered where the name had come from. You are really sentimental you know that?" she said smiling before moving down the bar to serve a customer who was waiting.

"You named your bar after me?" Kara said quietly looking up at Lee with slightly teary eyes. Lee just nodded "Thank you." She said learning into kiss him. Helo had just shaken his head and got up to go and talk to Liz while Lee was occupied. It was only when oxygen became an issue did that break apart and it was at that point that all hell broke lose.

Standing in the door of the bar was the second time in as many days was William Adama, staring at his son and the woman standing in front of him. It was only when Kara turned around following the direction of Lees gaze. She saw what he saw and took a step back from Lee to turn around fully. There was a pause and none of the trio moved.

Adama was the first one to speak "Well at least I have an explanation now" he said in a low, cold voice. He had his eyes fixed on Kara. She stood and stared at the man she had considered a father look at her with disdain, contempt and betrayal. Then the stare transferred to his son. Lee felt the same feelings that had been aimed at Kara, but he stared back at his father. He and Lee had never gotten along, Lee blamed him for the poor childhood he had, had. Zak had always been the favourite and the child who was actually wanted and not the mistake that he had been.

Lee had tried to please his father when he was younger but had given up. There was only so much that a child could do to get noticed, he had followed his father into flying vipers and still he had not completely satisfied the man and so he had walked away and lived his own life. He loved the bar and the things he had done since the service. He had to only please himself and despite not missing his father much he did miss his mother and especially Zak. But he had a new family that accepted him for himself and he wouldn't let his father walk in and upset that family.

Helo had now got to his feet and Liz had come around the bar to stand near Lee and Kara. This was his family now Kara, Liz and even Helo. "I came to see if you had heard from Kara but apparently you have so now that I'm here…" he was cut off by Lee at this point.

"Perhaps we should hold this conversation in private?" He said moving to the door behind the bar that lead to his office. His father moved towards the stairs and towards the office. He took Kara's hand and squeezed it as they walked towards the stairs "Liz can you watch the bar for me?" She just nodded dumbly and then moved towards Helo probably to ask for an explanation.

Once they arrived at the top of the stairs the trio stopped. Lee moved towards his desk and Kara followed at a loss for anything else to do. Lee and his father stood staring at each other but it was Kara that was the first to speak "I'm sorry sir" she said so quietly Lee wasn't sure she had said anything. It was only when the Commanders eyes shifted suddenly that he was sure she had said something. "You're sorry? Is that it? You leave my son at the altar and then come here and apparently into the arms of another man?" He asked disgustedly.

Lee hadn't failed to note that he hadn't been referred in anyway other than 'another man'. It seems that the old man had officially disowned his oldest son but at that moment Lee could feel nothing but anger. Up until yesterday his father hadn't set foot in his life and now he had walked in here and spoke to Kara as though she were someone her barely knew, not the woman he had considered to be a daughter to him until very recently.

Kara just stood and stared at Adama, everything he had said was true. At least the basic of it and she couldn't defend that. Lee however had seen red "You know nothing that happened yesterday after Kara left and you aren't even going to bother to find out what happened are you? You are going to stand there with your holy than thou complex, yell a little and then walk out like you always do." Lee spat out the words, he had a lot of resentment towards his father and now apparently was the time to air all this feelings.

"Well perhaps in this case its justified. I came here to speak to you about your brother, thought maybe you could talk to him. He doesn't know what happened and is depressed; I thought perhaps talking to his older brother would help. Instead I came here and find that not only do you know where Kara is but you've been having an affair with her? How long have you been betraying Zak? Been betraying this family?" ask the elder man, his voice raising as his anger grew.

"So now I'm a member of this family again? Two days ago you didn't even know where my bar was and I wouldn't have been welcome at the wedding at all. But now you want my help I become an Adama again? And Kara was here yesterday but I felt it should be here choice to see you. Now is there anything else or are you ready to leave?" The resentment Lee had been feeling for a year and for many years previously had surfaced. "And just so we're clear this isn't an affair, it hasn't been going on behind Zak's back."

Adama stood and looked at the couple in front of him again before answering his oldest son. "So what do you call this then? She ran out on Zak yesterday and the next day you two are playing the happy couple. Affair or not it is a betrayal of trust and no son of mine would do that to anyone. Especially not to his own brother so perhaps you aren't a member of this family anymore. Perhaps it would be better if you don't see you mother or Zak anymore just leave this family alone." He said with steel in his voice before turning round and walking down the stairs and out of the bar.

BSGBSGBSG

Lee and Kara had sat on the couch in the office curled together. They had been sitting like this since William Adama had left, just holding each other. Lee had sat and considered his fathers last words. For a year he hadn't had anyone, he had walked away from his family when he opened the bar. They hadn't supported his choice so he had walked away. His father's words had stung but the thought was not a new one to Lee as far as he was concerned he had not been part of that family for a while.

He spoke suddenly with a thought that had been chasing around his head. "I'm sorry you've lost a family again Kara." He spoke softly. He knew that Kara had, had a bad childhood and that she had always loved being included in the Adama family and now because of him she had lost the one true family she had, had. "Why are you sorry they're your blood relatives? I'm just the frak who wondered through and split you up." She replied sound slightly peeved at his words.

"You are not a frak up. I lost my family a year ago when I walked away and opened this place. I know that you were happy with them and I'm sorry being with me ruined that." He was truly sorry for Kara losing a family.

"You didn't ruin anything. I made the choice and I am happier than I've been in a long time. You're the reason for that and if your father can't see what a wonderful man you've become then perhaps we are better off without him in our lives. You're all the family I need flyboy." She said leaning up to kiss him.

He looked down and into her eyes and they considered each other. Lee thanked the gods for giving him this woman. She was amazing and deserved the best why she had chosen to be with him he wasn't sure but he was grateful that she had. He was also aware that this probably wasn't over. His father may have walked away form him but he wasn't sure that Zak would walk away the way his father had. But until that point he would look after her the best he could.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N:I have a few apologies to make

A/N: Firstly sorry this took so long to post I've been moving and haven't been able to get to an internet connection to post it. Now a big thank you to all the people who've taken the time to review this I really am grateful. This has now been beta'd and thank you for doing that!!

Six months had passed since Kara had ran out on her almost marriage to Zak, and six months since William Adama had told her she was no longer part of his family whilst disowning his oldest son at the same time. Despite this the couple was happy. Lee's bar was doing well and paying for itself. This meant Lee could employ more staff and spend less time involved with the day to day running leaving this up to Liz. This left him more free time to spend with Kara.

She had, had to go back to teaching at the academy after two weeks. Those two weeks had been spent happily with Lee either at the bar or in his bed. She had loved the freedom of those two weeks but flying was in her blood and she was happy to be able to return to her viper after the two weeks and to teaching again.

The bar was in the city itself and far enough away from the Academy that most of the students and staff didn't occupy it but close enough so Kara could spend her evenings there and her nights with Lee. Although the occasional group did stumble through from the Academy they rarely returned although there were a few who came back regularly and were well aware of where the great Starbuck spent her free time and with who.

Helo had become a regular fixture at the bar. For him it was a cheap place to drink, he was never short of a game of triad or company. He and Liz had become firm friends and teased each other endlessly when he came in. Lee had worried in the beginning that Helo would carry out his usual love em' and leave em' routine but it seems that Liz had seen straight through the ploy and politely told him to frak off. From then on they had become friends who respected each other but as Liz often told Lee 'nice guy but too much ego for me'.

So everything had settled down and with each passing month Kara had spent more time at Lee's place and less and less at the quarters she had been given on base. It was about three months before Lee suggested she gave them up completely and just move in with him. She had agreed and so on one fine day in the summer everything from Kara's small apartment was moved into Lee's house. With her painting being set up in the spare bedroom so she had her own space.

The only problem to be found was what to do about Zak. Adama had told them not to contact Zak or Caroline Adama and so at the start they stayed away. But as the weeks went on there was a guilty feeling that would not leave either of them alone. Kara decided she owed Zak an explanation, even if it just was an edited version, but she didn't know how to get in contact with him. So the guilt remained.

That was until Zak had taken matters into his own hands and seek Kara out demanding an answer. He had gone to the academy to find her and to find out why she had left him at the altar with no explanation then or since.

"_Why did you do it Kara? What had changed so much since the night before that made you run like that?" He asked in the voice of a small boy asking about something he shouldn't really know._

_Kara looked Zak over and realized what an affect her leaving had on him. She had been living happily with Lee and had almost forgotten the mess she had left behind her. It was at that point that she decided a lie would be the kindest thing to do; the truth would be too painful. _

"_You were too good for me Zak. As I stood there looking at myself in that dress I realized that there was too many things wrong with me and that I couldn't marry you knowing it would have made us both miserable eventually." She had taken a pause here that was mostly true because despite how much she wished herself different she knew eventually she would have had an affair, if not with Lee then with some other man, so perhaps it was better to leave when she had._

"_I did love you, Zak, but not enough to make you happy for a lifetime. You're a good man with a kind heart and you can do so much better than me." She was cut off when Zak started to reply._

"_Don't make me out to be better than I am, Kara. I'm not too good for you. Love doesn't see those things and neither do I. You put yourself down too much, Kara. You are a good person and I still love you Kara we could make this work." He pleaded with her and it was at that point that the room became too small and Kara had to leave._

"_I'm sorry, Zak, but I can't. Too much has happened. I need to move on and so do you. Find a woman who loves you as much as you love her." And with that she ran out of her office and down to the bathroom where she emptied her stomach._

She had felt guilty with the lie she had told Zak that she felt queasy until she had made it into Lee's arms later that evening. She had told him everything that had happened and the things she had told Zak. He had agreed with her that it was the best thing that could have happened given the circumstances. And she thought about it she realized that it may have been the best thing at least he knew it was over and he knew that there was no chance there anymore.

And so their lives had gone on. It seemed that everything was working out for the pair until two months later when their world was turned on its head yet again. It seems the Gods had another plan for Kara Thrace and Lee Adama and it was not going to be an easy road to be on.

The phone had rung at the bar, Lee had stopped what he was doing a wave of fear running threw him. He didn't know why he had the feeling but something's from his days of being a pilot he couldn't shake off and his senses of the when something was wrong was one of those things.

He took a deep breathe and answered the phone knowing whoever was on the other end of the phone was not a bearer of good news. He sat listening as his mother told him of the death of his younger sibling while sobbing here heart out. Zak had been in an accident while on a training mission; his viper had gone into a spin and he hadn't been able to control it, causing him to crash.

His mother had held it together long enough to tell him the funeral would be in three days at the military cemetery near the academy. Then she hung up the phone. Lee sat there feeling numb; he didn't know what to do. He had lost his younger brother. His only sibling and despite the fact he had not spoken to Zak for over a year he felt a sense of overwhelming loss.

And the longer he sat there the longer he realised the last words he had ever spoken to his brother were words of anger. The last actual conversation they had, had was when he had told Zak that he was leaving the service and opening a bar. The last word he had said were that he was leaving and he didn't need the support of someone who didn't believe in him.

"_I need to get out, Zak. I've had enough of being told what to do and how to live my life so I'm getting out and doing that I want to do. Can you not get that?" He said to Zak trying not to lose his temper._

"_No, Lee. I do understand that, but there more to it than that. You love flying; it's what you've wanted to do for as long as I can remember. So tell me what has changed so much in the last few months that you are running away from what you love?" Zak said not even trying to contain his anger. It seemed that the youngest Adama was going to have his say._

"_I've had enough, Zak. That's what happened. I'm done with the fleet and I'm done trying to please a father who doesn't even acknowledge me most of the time. I do love flying, but it's not what I want my life to be anymore. I need something more and leaving the fleet is going to give me that." Lee knew he couldn't tell Zak the real reason: he was leaving was because he wanted something he couldn't have. Specifically, his brothers' girl. The best plan he'd come up with was to get away from that was to leave the service, and therefore leave the one thing he and Kara had in common._

"_You don't want to tell me, that's fine. But don't use Dad as an excuse to walk away. Be a grown up and the make the decisions for your own reasons." Zak had made a move for the door by this point unable to understand why his brother wouldn't tell him what the problem was. "And perhaps if you got your head out your arse long enough you'd see how worried Mum and Dad are about you, never mind wondering why you've yelled at them and told them not to speak to you. They just want to understand, Lee. Just for the record, I still don't know why and frankly I don't give a frak right now. But you owe them an explanation." It seemed he had said what he had to say but Lee wasn't finished._

"_I told them, like I told you, my reasons for leaving the fleet. They couldn't accept that so I walked away. This is something I need to do, Zak. And if you can't handle that then perhaps you should join the rest of the family in ignoring me from now on." With that he shut the door on Zak and the rest of his family._

That was the last time he had seen Zak, who apparently had taken his words to heart. It also seemed that his hope that walking away from flying would take him away from Kara had been a false one. She was clearly determined to stay with him even if he did walk away, something he had not counted on.

He'd thought walking away from his old life would solve everything and remove him from the complications his feelings were causing. Unfortunately, Kara had her own plans and wasn't willing to leave Lee behind at that point. So he had solved half his problems and finally removed himself from his father's shadow, but left himself in the sphere of Kara Thrace.

Of course now the problem with Kara had resolved itself: she had changed her mind and he loved her with all his heart. But despite how happy he was, he couldn't quite reconcile how Kara had come to be with him; She had run out on Zak at the altar and, despite his best intentions, Zak would never know the true reasons. Perhaps that was best.

Lee didn't know if his father had told Zak the real reason why or had kept him in the dark. Either way, Zak had never come to see him and so he assumed his father had told him nothing or just agreed with Kara's story. And the thing that made him feel guilty was that he was relieved that he had never had to explain it all to Zak directly.

After the altercation with his father, he'd worried Zak would stumble into his bar one day to find him and Kara. The relief he felt at the end of every day when that didn't happen left him feeling even guiltier.

Then a sudden thought hit him: he was going to have to tell Kara what had happened. Despite everything, he knew that Kara had loved Zak; she had told him that herself. He had no idea how he could break the news, but better it came from someone that she loved and not a random stranger.

Just as he picked the phone, the door opened. Kara was standing there, tears rolling down her face. It seemed someone else had beaten him to it. He moved round the desk and pulled her in to his arms and held her as tightly as he could. Then the tears that he hadn't realized were there began to fall as they mourned their shared loss.

BSGBSGBSG

Three days later they left the house, Kara in her dress grays and Lee in a black tailored suit. The day had started out cloudy but they had now cleared to leave a clear sky. The weather didn't really seem fitting for the occasion but Zak always had loved the summer, so perhaps it was right.

They arrived at the graveside just as the service began. They stood at the back of the small crowd that had come to say goodbye. During the service Caroline Adama had said a few words about her son that had brought tears to both Lee and Kara's eyes.

Lee had held Kara's hand through out the service and he wasn't sure if it was for his benefit or for hers. All he knew was that he doubted he could have held himself together without Kara. He needed her more than ever now.

Still, as he stood looking at the casket, he wished for all he was worth that things had been different. That he could have talked Zak out of flying Vipers, or even flying at all. That he could have still been on speaking terms with his mother and Zak and that his last words to Zak weren't ones of anger but the biggest thing that he wished he could change was how his love life had worked out. That perhaps he could have walked away from flying and actually left Kara behind to be happy with Zak and with his family.

And with that thought a feeling of nausea swept through him. Had he really loved his brother? If he had been a true brother surely that's what he would have done, walked away from them both and left them alone to be happy? Instead he had tried to walk away but had eventually taken Kara with him. He turned his head slightly to look at the woman clinging to his hand and knew that he wouldn't have changed anything about their relationship. He loved her too much to have walked away from her. Maybe that's why he hadn't truly tried.

He would look forward to the days when she would come to the bar when it was new. The hours he would spend neglecting other customers just so he could sit and talk to her. Even if it was about things to do with Zak or the wedding which always left him with an empty feeling. And now his brother had gone to grave never knowing quite why the woman he had loved had left him on his wedding day.

The ceremony had finished with a 21 gun salute and the crowd around the grave had begun to disperse. Some where returning to his mother's house for a wake, but Lee knew he likely won't be welcome. He walked towards the grave and looked at the coffin before reaching out. Kara had done the same thing. "I'm so sorry, Zak," came the quiet words from the woman next to him and he nodded unable to say anything.

They both turned and walked back towards the car. Lee stopped short and instead walked towards his mother. "Hello, Mom," he said quietly, realizing just then that Kara's hand was still in his.

She turned to look at them, then down to their joined hands before replying "Your father told me the reason the wedding didn't happen. I didn't quite believe him until today." She made her statement with a look of disgust written clearly on her face. But it seemed she wasn't finished, adding "And it's your fault Zak is dead. He came to see me three days ago and told me he knew about you. He was so upset that he had to find out not by either of you treating him with respect, but by seeing the two of you acting like teenagers and 'making out' in your bar. He was so upset he couldn't think straight, so much so that he crashed his viper! I thought you loved him but obviously not so now I have to bury the one true son I had!" And with that she walked away from her other son.

Lee stood stunned as he let the words his mother had said sink in. Zak had known about them and as he realized this a wave of nausea swept threw him. He had to leave the cemetery now, the feeling of Zak's ghost and the reason he was dead was pressing down on Lee.

It was only as he tried to move he was reminded that Kara was still standing beside him. He turned to look at her and saw a look of guilt frozen on her face. They both looked at each other. Zak had always been a concern for both of them but in the last month they had become so comfortable with each other, they had become lost in their own little world which consisted of the two of them.

He remembered the two of them at the mall but not what had happened while they were there and he definitely didn't remember Zak being there. He pulled Kara to him and held her tightly. He knew she would take his mothers word to heart whether or not they were true.

He let her go and reached out for her hand. They both began to walk back towards the car and away from the sight of their most recent guilt. Lee looked back one last time and said a silent goodbye to Zak before walking away hoping the worst of the day was over.

It turned out he was wrong. As they had returned home another surprise had been waiting for them in the form of transfer orders for Kara. Not just any transfer orders but orders for her to join the crew of the Galactica.

They both sat staring at the piece of paper that was sitting on the table in front of them. Lee felt the feelings of resentment for his father return and strengthen. He had a feeling that his father was probably doing this out of spite or some misguided loyalty to Zak. He sat there feeling like his whole world was falling apart. He had just buried his brother and now the woman he loved more than anything was being taken away from him as well.

As he sat in the kitchen if their home, he didn't know where his life was going or what was going to happen next. For the first time since Kara had come into his life permanently he felt completely lost.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N I've decided to split the last chapter into two. So here's the first part its fairly short and as ever it hasn't been beta'd.

Thank you so much for all the reviews they really are helpful.

Lee stood wiping the bar down. It was the end of another long night of work and he was nearly finished. Normally he would have been hurrying but there was no reason to, Kara would not be at home waiting for him.

She had left for her new assignment a month ago and he was still missing her like crazy. She had been such a constant in his life since her almost marriage to Zak that everything reminded him of her. And he hadn't even realised quite how much his life had revolved around her. He would spend hours at the bar with her and then take her home and make to love to her.

He was just about to shut off the lights when the phone rang behind the bar. He looked at the clock and wondered who could be calling at that time. He picked it up "Starbuck's bar how can I help?" he answered automatically.

"Well this is Starbuck calling, I was wondering how my name sake was doing?" he heard Kara's voice respond softly down the phone.

"Well hey you and she's doing just fine. It's really quiet without you though. So how's it going?" he asked he just wanted to hear her voice whatever she said. He truly did miss her and wanted her back with him.

"It's actually going ok. I really am enjoying flying even if the CAG is an ass." Lee chuckled softly at that comment; she had said that all the time back at the academy and it often landed her in trouble one way or another.

"So how's the brig up there comfy enough for ya?" he asked with humour in his voice.

"Hey! That only happened a few times and yes the beds are comfortable enough. The old man has been fairly understanding though. Even fact he's been fairly nice to me all round. Oh and Helo says hey and can he'll be there next week." Lee stood stock still at the comment about his father. How could she think that after he had made her transfer?

"Well that's good at least you're comfortable. And it'll be good to see Helo again even if he is going to try and bum as much ambrosia as possible out of me." He said trying to sound cheerful but feeling his heart sink that she was getting along with his father. He felt sheer anger towards his father both about Zak and the fact he'd transfer the one woman he truly loved.

"Yeah, I think he's looking forward to seeing Liz again as well. I swear he hasn't stop telling people about her up here. I've got some good news as well the Galactica's being decommission and I'm being transferred back to training at least to start off with, which is good. Although the Old man is being forced to retire which he isn't happy about, he's talking about moving back to Caprica." Lee cut across her there he had heard enough about his father by that point.

"That's great when are you coming home?" He tried to stay away from anything to do with his father.

"The decommissioning is taking place in 6 months so a month or so after that. Look Lee I've been hinting here but your ignoring me so I'm going to be honest I think you need to talk to your father and listen to what he has to say Lee." She said this is a voice he recognized, it was the one she used when she wanted something and was determined to get it. He took a deep breathe before answering her.

"Kara I love you but there is no way I'm talking to my father he split us up out of spite and he's partially responsible for Zak's death and I can't forgive him for those things. So I'm going to go before I say something I shouldn't. I love you." And with that he put the phone down. Turned off the lights and walked out of the bar. Hoping to leave his family problems there but they followed him all the way home.

BSGBSGBSG

The following week still hadn't heard from Kara. He was still upset about their last conversation and he knew he hadn't been great company for the week. Liz had picked up on it and asked him if he wanted to talk about it. He had politely tuned her down and gone upstairs to the office for the rest of the day.

He was just checking the stock for that night when Helo walked into the bar. He walked over to the bar and sat down "Well if it isn't the great Apollo the man who makes women cry." Helo said with a look on his face Lee had never seen before.

"What are you talking about Helo?" He said confused.

"Well Kara's spent the last week drinking herself under the table then lamenting that Lee doesn't want her any more, that's what I'm talking about you idiot." Helo said his voice full of anger and resentment. He had been looking after Kara for the last few years and hated to see her hurting like she was.

Lee stood there feeling like his world had shifted all of a sudden. He had been so wrapped up in his hatred for his father and dealing with the guilt of Zak's death that he hadn't stop to think about Kara at all. Well except for the fact she hadn't called him again.

A huge wave of guilt swept threw him as he thought of Kara in tears. He had promised himself that he wouldn't ever make her cry and now he had gone and done that. He saw the look on Helo's face soften.

"Is she ok?" Lee asked so softly he wasn't sure if Helo could hear him.

"She's been better. Look I don't know what happened but perhaps you should talk to her. Unless you really don't want her anymore in which case just leave her alone." The last statement was said with complete malice.

"Of course I still want her. I thought she was mad at me that's why she hadn't called back again."

"Well luckily for you I brought something with me which may help." He turned as the door of the bar opened and there stood Kara. Looking almost exactly as she had almost a year ago when she had run out on Zak, like a lost little girl who needed to be rescued.

Lee walked round the bar straight over to Kara and pulled her to him. "I am so sorry Kara. Of course I still want you. I love you so much." He pulled back slightly and lowered his lips to hers.

When there pulled apart Kara looked up into his eyes searching for something. "I'm sorry I pushed the about your father Lee I just trying to fix what I broke. Although it seemed to cause more problems than it solved. Guess I'm still a screw up." She said softly.

"Yeah but you're my screw up and besides things with my dad were broken long before any of this so stop worrying about. But thank you for trying none the less." He hugged her again. At least this time things had sorted themselves out fairly quickly.

"So how long are you planet side for?" He asked letting her go.

"Just for the night got any plans flyboy?" she smiled seductively at him. He grinned back down at her "Well I do now and with that he grabbed his jacket and yelled at Liz to take care of things and ran out the door with his girl. He only had her for a night but that was enough for now.

A/N 2: please review they make me happy. And my muse works better with them.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N well here it is almost three years later the final part of this fic. Thank you to everyone who reviewed this all those years ago and to everyone who actually read it. So here it is the final part of life, marriage and bars as always unbetaed so all mistakes are mine. Enjoy.

It had been six months since he'd last seen Kara. It had stopped him in his tracked when he'd looked at the calendar and realised how long it had been. They had talked on the phone and exchanged letters but he hadn't seen or torched her in six months.

He knew he wouldn't have to wait that long though. The decommissioning of the Galatica was taking place that week and then she would be back planet side at least for a few months.

What she didn't know was that he was going to be on board for the decommissioning. Helo had offered to pick him up while he was down on Caprica for supplies and take him back for the ceremony so he could watch the mighty Starbuck fly amongst the stars. The only thing that could have made it better was if he could fly beside her.

But he had made his choice and flying was no longer a part of his life. So he would settle for watching Kara live her dreams. The part he wasn't looking forward to was spending time in tight quarters with his father.

The Galactica was a relatively large ship but it wasn't big enough to contain his father, him and his father ego. Lee would try to keep his presence a secret for as long as possible but his father had a way of finding out everything eventually especially aboard his ship. But Lee still held out hope as long as he wasn't on board long he could avoid his father for a short amount of time. And then Kara would be back home again, so life was looking up.

He looked around the bar to check things one last time before he left for the night, this was the last time for a few days that he would see the bar. He'd leave tomorrow morning and would be back the day after. It was only two days but still he had a feeling that it would be a while before he saw the bar. He trusted Liz with the bar but he would miss it.

He sighed, turned and walked out. Tomorrow he would see Kara again and that made him smile.

BSGBSGBSGBSG

Lee looked out the window as his fathers ship appeared in the window of the raptor. He had climbed aboard the smaller ship a little over an hour ago and had been feeling uneasy ever since. He really was hoping that he would not see his father today.

He knew it was going to be a little tough but he was willing to do anything to be with Kara and getting to watch her fly was an added bonus. As the raptor landed on Galactica he took a deep breathe before stepping out on to the deck.

He was ignored by almost everyone as he stepped onto the deck and began to walk towards the pilot's quarters. That was until a voice called him from behind

"You know civilians aren't supposed to be unescorted Apollo especially when the person they are looking for is currently in the brig for starting a fight with the XO." Helo had apparently been on the flight deck when Lee had landed.

"Well since you insist on calling me by my call sign guess I'm not that much of a civilian. How ya been Helo?" he said shaking the hand of the man who had become a good friend.

"Pretty good, flying milk runs mostly. How about I escort you to the brig while you tell me about the bar and the lovely Liz." So the two men set off for the brig.

Once Helo had managed to talk the marine on duty into letting Lee into the brig with a little bribery, Lee opened the door and walked in to find Kara doing push ups.

"This seems familiar." Kara looked up at him before regaining her feet.

"Well I'm sorry I wasn't on the hanger deck to meet you oh great Apollo. But someone is supposed to be running a bar down on Caprica today." She said this while moving closer to the bars of her cell, Lee copied her movements until they were face to face then she pulled him closer and kissed him through the bars. They only broke apart when the need for oxygen became too great to ignore.

"I took a personal day, so whats the charge this time?"

"Striking a superior asshole." She said kissing him quickly again

"Ahh. I bet you've been waiting all day to say that one. Haven't you?" he said smiling at her.

"Most of the afternoon, yeah."

"Well I'm glad to have been of service. Now I came here to see you for a few hours then to watch you fly and now I find you've had yourself thrown in a prison cell for the day. What am I supposed to do now?" he said leaning against the bars to the cell.

"Well I'm pretty sure the old man will bail me out soon so hows' about you make yourself comfortable on that chair and wait with me." She said smiling that smile that she had reserved for him.

"Maybe… wait is my father going to come down here?" She looked at him for a moment smile fading and just nodded.

"In that case come find me when you get out no way in hell I'm having that conversation." He crossed his arms across his chest.

"Oh grow up Lee. You're a big boy you should stay and talk to him." She said just as stubbornly.

"I came to see you Kara not have an argument with my father and have him disown me again. I'll be in the mess when you get out of here." And with that he left Kara in her cell wondering just how she was going to pull this off.

BSGBSGBSGBSG

It wasn't until after the ceremony that Kara finally managed to catch up with Lee. She found him on the observation deck looking out at the vipers still flying around. She walked up and hugged him from behind.

"Do you ever miss it?" She asked him looking out at the Vipers.

"Sometimes but then I look around and see that if I was still flying them I wouldn't be nearly as happy as I am now." He turned around and placed his arms around her waist.

"I have to leave soon I managed to hitch a ride back on education ministers ship."

He leaned down and kissed her. "Today didn't quite work out as well as I planned you know. I was hoping for a little more of this and a little less of you behind bars." He pulled her to him.

"I'm sorry about that. I shouldn't have pushed you about your father either but I really think he may regret what he said to you." She leaned into him.

"That may be but I don't think I'm ready to forgive him quite yet perhaps one day soon but not quite yet. Thank you for putting up with my stubbornness though," He kissed her again before sighing and pulling away. "I've gotta go but call me when you know about coming home." He kissed her once more before he left here.

BSGBSGBSGBSGBSG

Lee was sitting in a rather comfortable chair in the cockpit of the colonial heavy ship. He had been buddies with XO of the ship so they'd been able to squeeze him on board. He was once again looking out a window to the stars hoping to find answers about his father. Well that was until he had heard the distress call that turned his and everyone elses world upside down. The Cylons had returned.

He was dealing with the news the best he could. When a knock at the door revealed Laura Roslin asking for information he made himself as inconspicuous as possible. He, after all was just a civilian who shouldn't really be there. He suddenly started remembering that Liz and the rest of his staff would have been at the bar on Caprica when the attack had taken place. He felt the loss all of a sudden.

Roslin returned and a call came over the radio for her. It was at this point that Lees day truly went to hell the Cylons had found the ship and were moving in fast. But apparently luck was on there side a stray missile from Caprica hit the cylon raider removing the immediate danger.

Roslin departed again to go and organize the ships passengers as best she could. Lee realized that she was an incredibly practical person if nothing else and began to follow her. After all he may as well help as sit here.

"I'm Lee Adama ma'am. I was wondering if there was anything I could do to help?" She took his offered hand.

"Adama? Any relation to Commander Adama?" Lee nodded

"He's my father ma'am."

"Really? Huh anyway you could go and see if there is anything we can use later down in the hold. Something's from Galatica were brought aboard before we left who knows whats down there." He nodded and turned to enter the hold.

He came across a couple of electric pulse generators from the Galactica. He remembered a lecture from war college involving the generators. He shrugged they may come in handy in a pinch he returned to the cockpit to update Roslin on the situation.

"Well I'm going to need a priest by the sounds of it." He heard her say as he entered.

"Apparently I have just become President of the Colonies. I'm 43rd in line of succession I never thought I would ever be in this situation." She took a calming breathe and left the cockpit.

Lee sat down and looked out the window wondering just how the hell people of the colonies would take this. Assuming anyone survived this whole mess. Lee rose and followed the soon to be president. How often did you get to see an inauguration for the President of the Colonies after all.

BSGBSGBSGBSGBSG

He returned to the cockpit to find a message from his father. He took it from the pilot and read it out loud. "To all Colonial units: Am taking command of fleet. All units ordered to rendevouz at Ragnar Anchorage for regroup and counter-attack. Acknowledge by same, encryption protocol Adama." He looked over at the new President and shrugged a little.

"Mr Adama, please inform Commander Adama that we are currently involved in rescue operations and we require his assistance. Ask him how many hospital beds he has available and how long it will take him to get here."

"Umm madam president I may not be the best person to ask him that I'm not exactly on speaking terms with my father." She looked at him

"That maybe but you're the only one with any understanding of the colonial fleet here."

"I'm not in the military ma'am." He responded feeling she didn't need to know his life story.

"No but you used to be so if you would answer I would be most grateful." He sighed with defeat. He knew when to back down from a battle now was one of those times.

He spoke first with Petty officer Dualla before having his father come on the line.

"Lee are you.. is the ship all right?" He sighed mentally even when he thought his son dead he couldn't get the words right.

"We're both fine thanks for asking." Sarcasm biting in his voice

"Is your ships FTL functioning?" He looked and received a nod

"It is"

"Then you're ordered to bring yourself and all of your passengers to the rendezvous point. Acknowledge." Lee sat for half a second before responding.

"Umm I left the fleet in case you forgot I don't have to follow any orders."

"Damn it Lee get your arse to the rendezvous point now." Lee felt like he was fifteen again for a moment before responding.

"The president of the colonies has given me an order as well and sadly she got there first." He responded perhaps a little bit childishly but damn the man could get on his high horse.

"You're talking about the Secretary of Education. We're in the middle of a war, and you're taking orders from a schoolteacher?" Before Lee could respond an alarm went off.

"I'm going to have to call you back dad." With that he hung up on his father.

"We have incoming Cylons and I don't think we're going to be as lucky as last time." With those words Lee took off for the cargo deck praying that what he'd learn back in war college was actually going to work.

The next thing he knew he was waking up with the president hovering over him. "Well that was fun. I think it worked." He said sitting up and shaking his head.

"What exactly did you do?" asked Roslin helping him up.

"I basically just used the hyperdrive to manipulate the energy coils, to p-p-put out a big pulse of electroma-magnetic energy that must have disabled the warheads. (He wobbles a bit.) I'm - I'm hoping that it looked like a nuclear explosion." Lee said still trying to shake off the fall he'd taken.

"Oh. So that's what that was. Did it fool the Cylons?"

"I don't know. But if they weren't fooled, then they'd be on top of us by now."

"Does the rest of the fleet know about this trick?" Asked the pilot of the ship who had joined the conversation.

"I doubt it. It's just a theory we toyed with in war college, but it never used to work during war games, the Cylons would see right through it and destroy the targets anyway." Said Lee finally revealing purposely that he had been a pilot.

"The lesson here is not to ask follow-up questions, but simply to say, thank you, for saving our collective asses." Said the President turning to leave the cargo bay with Lee following.

BSGBSGBSGBSGBSGBSG

After what felt like days, rather than the few hours it was, with a fleet of civilian ships in tow they followed his father orders and jumped to the Anchorage. He hoped that his father wouldn't shot them on sight.

They made it down to Galatica without getting shot out of the sky but the ever immoveable Saul Tigh was being stubborn about handing over support for the civilian fleet. He eventually managed to negotiate at least some help for the civilians before running off he had to find Kara.

He found her under her viper. She would always work on her bird when she was thinking about things.

"Hey" he called to her. She rolled out from under the fighter with a look of disbelief. He helped her to her feet. "I'm really here Kara it's me." Without saying a word she launched herself at him and locked her lips with his. He held her to him. An hour ago he wasn't sure he would ever see her again and he sure as hell wasn't letting her go.

He eventually broke away and looked at her. "Well I finally got to make out with a CAG and she's pretty hot." He said smiling at her.

"Yeah but she's going to kick your arse for being stupid. I don't know what I'd do without you Lee." She leaned into him and buried her face in his chest. She stayed there for what seemed like forever before pulling back.

"Hey does your dad know your still alive?" he took a deep breathe internally he knew she was just trying to keep the peace

"I'll let him know." He said quietly. "Right now you have work to do and I have to go and check that the president hasn't killed Tigh yet." He said leaning in and kissing her quickly "If she does kill him she gets my vote for re-elections no questions asked." He smiled at her and pulled away until he was only holding on to her hand and then he let go, turning to leave.

BSGBSGBSGBSGBSG

Lee had slipped into the back of the CIC, Kara had been sent on a recon mission and he had to make sure she was ok. He figured his father would have it on speaker in the CIC and he was right he settled himself back against the wall.

He listened to the buzz of a command centre at work and realized it had been a very long time since he had heard these sounds. The hustle and bustle of the brain of the ship hard at work.

He heard his father, Roslin and Tigh discussing what to do next. He still hadn't talked to his father and knew the time was coming but right now he was listening to hear back from Kara. He suddenly heard her voice over the comms reporting back he took a deep breathe of relief. He knew she was an amazing pilot but he still worried about her and her impulse control issues.

He heard the argument over the civilian fleet rising then it stopped. He looked down and saw his father looking at Dee and Billy before saying something he couldn't hear. He knew his father had changed his mind and pushed off the wall. He was just about to leave when he heard his father call him back.

"Lee I need to talk to you." Lee sighed he knew the time had been coming. He turned and walked down to the centre console where his father stood.

"Lee I need every pilot I have that includes you. I know you haven't flown for awhile so perhaps you can get with Starbuck for a very quick catch up session." Lee looked at him and nodded. He never thought he'd be climbing back into a viper ever again. But there again the worlds had ended so things had changed.

Plus he had just been given an excuse to spend time with Kara and that was something he would never say no to especially having listened to what was being planned. This could be the last chance he got to spend with her. With that thought weighing him down he left the CIC for the flight deck.

BSGBSGBSGBSGBSG

Lee had settled himself in the cockpit of a viper for the first time in too many years to remember. He and Kara had done a very quick summary before having a little alone time in the CAG's office. There is a lot to be said for a couch and a locked door on a ship like Galactica. He had wanted to stay in the office forever but knew there were people outside the world that he and Kara had created that needed him and just like that he was back to being Captain Lee 'Apollo' Adama hot shot pilot.

So when the order came to launch all that he had thought he'd forgotten came rushing back to him and he was flying again with stars rushing by him. He heard Kara yelling out instructions before he went weapons free and began to take down raiders. He hadn't felt a real rush like this in such a long time.

That was until his ship was hit. He heard Kara yell at him there was a missile heading straight for him. Kara pulled a classic Starbuck move before hailing him again "Whoooo! Looks like you broke your ship, Apollo." She said with a smile and relief in her voice.

"I've had worse. But thanks." He replied relief in his own voice.

There wasn't much he could do but sit and watch as Kara took out as many raiders as she could without straying to far. There was a part of him that just enjoyed the pure magic that was Starbuck in the air, this was really where she belonged. He felt his heart tug as this thought hit him. She would have stayed with him on Caprica but would she have been as happy as she was here in the sky? But the worlds had ended it was a whole new ball game now.

"Galactica to all Vipers - return to base. Repeat – return to base!" Lee breathed a small sigh of relief at least now Kara could make it back. "You heard the lady let's go everybody" he heard Kara call out over the radio. He watched the other vipers leaving before realising there was one that wasn't moving.

"Starbuck/Apollo I think they meant you too Kara." He called out heart in his throat. She should have been making for Galatica by now.

"Shut up Lee. We go back together or not at all." She screamed back

"Kara I'm losing power, I'm not going to make it just go!" he could feel the panic rising in his chest. He couldn't be responsible for her death, not now.

"Starbuck?" WilliamAdama voice cut through the argument "What do you hear Starbuck?"

"What?"

"Good Morning Starbuck, what do you hear?" She leaned back in her cockpit and listened.

"Nothing but the rain"

"Then grab your gun and bring in the cat"

"Yes sir" Lee sat there through exchange wondering just what the hell there were talking about.

"Kara, you should…"

"No Lee, not going to happen so shut up and hold still."

Lee watched as Kara dropped her viper and rolled it before heading towards him.

"Kara, what are you… are you insane?" He called as her ship head straight towards his,

"Oh no" was the only words his brain cold form fully but the only choice he had was to sit and pray to anyone that was listening that he wasn't about to be killed by the woman he loved trying to pull off some hair brain to save his life. Kara's viper connected with his.

"You are beyond insane" He yelled at, she could have killed them both.

"That's why you love me Apollo, kicking in the burn"

They began to head in the general direction of Galatica and as their approach to the landing bay started he checked his instruments "We're coming in a little hot don't you think?" He asked as he saw Galatica grow larger in his canopy.

"No…not really" Kara called back sounding decidedly unsure herself.

"Don't lie to me Kara and just so you know if I die because of this stunt I'm coming back to haunt your arse."

"Ahhh its good to know you'll always be around so I have someone to blame everything on. Now shut up so I can concentrate and not kill us both."

"Yes ma'am" He sat quietly and watched Kara through her canopy. He watched handle her plane like no one else could and was once again overwhelmed by just how much he loved her. The ends of the worlds may have happened but it would be ok because he and Kara had both survived. That was all he needed. That was his final thought as his plane hit the deck and he hit his head.

BSGBSGBSGBSGBSGBSG

He woke a few minutes later to find his canopy and helmet missing and several people crowding around him. It took him a second to realise he was lying on the deck he tried to turn his head but someone stopped him. "Easy Apollo"

"Kara?" He asked, he had to find out if she was ok.

"I'm fine Lee now do what the Chief says" He felt himself relax at the sound of her voice, she was ok.

BSGBSGBSGBSGBSGBSG

Several hours and several rounds of harsh words having been exchange with Doc Cottle saw him and Kara sitting on the sofa in her office again. Although this time he was just content to hold her. Frankly he was so tired he wasn't sure he could do anything else even if he had wanted to.

"Lee?" Kara questioned softly

"Yeah?"

"I love you"

"I love you too. Gods I love you so much Kara." He said as he lent down to kiss her.

"OK good so when I say this remember that." She paused for a second "You need to talk to your father Lee. It's the end of the worlds and you're all the family he has left, its time to at least try and work this out." As she said the words a number of emotions flowed through him. First was anger at her for trying to interfere again but as she carried on talking her words hit home. He really was the only family William Adama had left aside from the crew on his ship. Lee had Kara with him but his father didn't even have that.

"I know you're right Kara but I don't know how to fix this. The man disowned me and there was a lot of bad blood before that." He replied softly.

"I know that and it doesn't have to be right now but just think about speaking to him ok?"

It seemed that fate wasn't prepared for Lee to make that decision for himself however. He sat with Kara just talking quietly or just sitting enjoying each others company when there was a knock on the hatch. They looked at each before extracting themselves so Kara could unlock the hatch.

"Starbuck" The elder Adama said as he walked into the room. Lee sat rooted to the spot as his father walked into the room. He wasn't ready for this but it seemed that Bill Adama had something he wanted to say.

"Lee" He said as he turned to face his eldest child, Lee stood trying to regain some sort of composure. What happened next removed any composure he could have mustered his father walked across the room and pulled him into a hug. It was so unexpected Lee just stood ther for a moment before bringing his arms around his father. It had been over a year since he'd talked to his father and even longer since he had spoken to him without anger. He couldn't even remember the last time his father had hugged him. He wasn't quite sure how long they stood there but eventually his father pulled back.

"I'm not really sure where to start but I am glad you're here." His father said quietly looking at his sons face.

"I'm not sure either dad, so much has happened." He wasn't just talking about today but of everything that had passed between them. "But I think us being in the same room and actually talking may be a good place to start." He said and he looked over his fathers shoulder to see Kara leaning against her desk with unshed tears in her eyes and a smile on her face.

It was then Lee realised how truly blessed he had been. The woman he loved was alive and here with him and despite the problems between him and his father he was alive which was more than could be said for a lot of people after today. And despite being unsure what was going to happen next Lee knew that whatever it was he could face it because he had his family with him.


End file.
